how we met
Justin and I met at Virginia International Raceway in March 2006. Justin was about to go out on track for the drive around portion of the weekend and I was with my father helping him with his car. My dad was unable to take me around the track so he suggested I go with another person. My dad talked to Justin’s dad and next thing I know I was being shoved into 2002 Camry, which was Justin’s mother’s car, with Justin as the driver. He spent the next 20 some minutes trying to show off his “racing skills” around the track.
Justin went to college at ECU when I was in college at NC State. Both being poor college students, and me without a car, my dad would drop me off halfway to Greenville where Justin would be waiting to pick me up and drive me the rest of the way. One valentines day, maybe 3-4 years into the relationship, he came to pick me up and drove back into Greenville. We were talking in the car, catching up, when all of a sudden he jerks the wheel hard to the left and pulls a u turn in the middle of the street. I was completely confused as to why this was happening and next thing I know he started rolling the window down and stuck his hand out of it. Suddenly I was being handed a Valentine’s Day balloon and we turned back to head towards his house. Yes, you have it right… He took an abandoned balloon out of the middle of the road and gave it to me, romantic right? Well then we get back to the house and he has a present for me. He then gave me a dachshund that says “I love this much.” Yes, just like that. It was then I noted that it had a clearance tag on it… Since the word “you” was missing on the stuffed animal. Oh wait, there is more. I woke up the next morning and he had taken probably 30 old school valentines day cards (like kindergarteners put in the Valentine’s Day box for class cards) and put them in all my stuff, clothing, shoes, book bag, etc. It was a great weekend for the both of us.
how they asked
Justin had intended to propose at the March Race of 2015. Since that was the race weekend when we met, it seemed fitting to propose then. We went up to the race track, just like every other race weekend, without any irregularities in our schedule. We worked our event Saturday and went to the worker party we have Saturday night after all the races are done with. Shortly after we finished eating at the party Justin suggested we go on a walk.
Back story here, Justin and I use to take walks around the race track to get to know each other when we first started dating, including the first night we met. Justin walked me over to the fenced area near the pit lane and began talking about life and next thing I know I heard something along the lines of “and I want to do this for a long time.”
I turned to face him and next thing I knew he had a flash light in one hand shining on the ring box in the other and was down on one knee. It was all in one, well choreographed movement too. I took a few seconds to make sure I wasn’t dreaming then I asked him if he was serious. He nodded and I said yes, still half believing it was a dream. We then celebrated at a pre-arranged engagement party at a friend of ours camp site with family and friends.
